How to Plan an Exhibition (Part I)

Exhibitions are your chance to show off. Whether you’re showcasing a product, a skill or a service, these events are designed to provide you with the perfect platform to present your business at its best. These events are unique in that they offer a place to capture qualified clients or leads face-to-face. Attendees will attend an exhibit because the content/offering will supply them with something they are actively seeking for. For example, a wedding exhibition attendee is likely to seek suppliers/information for their forthcoming wedding – and a marketing exhibition attendee is likely to work in the field of marketing. Exhibitions create qualified exposure and sales that you might have to work harder to get via other channels. The first part of this article will describe the topic from the planning of an exhibition to the actual set up of an event. The second part of the article will talk further about generating a profit from exhibitions and getting people to attend an exhibition in a later blog posting. Planning an Exhibition Today we are going to talk about how you should go about planning an exhibition event so it matches your aims as much as possible. Well, the first thing you need to do is clearly identify those aims. Depending on the kind of exhibits you are trying to organize, this will vary. We’ve listed some examples of different exhibitions below: If it’s an art/photography exhibition, you might want to:

1. Gain a following
2. Generate sales of your work
3. Promote new pieces of work
4. Deliver a message via your work
5. Build a brand

If it’s a Trade/Industry Exhibition, you might want to:

1. Generate sales of exhibition space to re-sellers and relevant brands
2. Build brand awareness and respect
3. Create a buzz
4. Have face-to-face contact with qualified leads
5. Generate an opportunity for market research

If it’s a fashion exhibition, you might want to:

1. Generate a fashion following
2. Promote a new line
3. Generate sales
4. Create a buzz
5. Increase branding

Once you have identified your aims, refer to these at each stage of the planning process. This will allow you to cross check each decision against your overall aims, helping you to streamline the planning process and ensure your plans don’t journey off-course.

Set Up an Event

As with every major event, exhibition planning is limited to a budget, and the success of your event is dependent on how you utilize the funds you have available. The main budget-eaters could be aspects such as:

Venue      

Choose where to host your exhibition carefully. This space not only determines how many guests can attend, but also how many other exhibitors can provide content for your event. You might also want to consider what impression the venue reinforces – is it worth hosting in a grand venue to create a more glamorous feel? Or would a less opulent venue be appropriate?

Marketing

You need to allocate a good proportion of your budget to getting the word out about the exhibition. It’s important to bear in mind the difference in approach when marketing to the attendees and the exhibitors. The attendees need to be convinced that the exhibition will have something for them, and the exhibitors will need to be convinced that the attendees will want to buy from them. Getting these two messages to connect is vital to the success of the entire event.

Décor & Technology and Furniture

The internal décor will have a big impact on how your guests perceive the event. Furniture, branded images, banners and screens are a good way to create an impressive visual experience. The Technology you use throughout the event is also very important.

Special Guests

Depending on the type of Exhibition, you might want to include an industry leader to present a talk or seminar. Case studies and industry leaders insights make great talking points, and this will not only provide a more rounded experience for the attendees, but will give you more of an edge when marketing the event.

Food & Drink

You may want to include refreshments during the event, which will incur extra upfront costs, even if it is later incorporated into the ticket price.

Logistics

Big events require logistics management. This includes managing the exhibition space, knowing who’s turning up and when, organizing the timing and the general flow of the day (or series of days). It’s important to have a team dedicated to the smooth running of the event.

Logistics (in more detail)

As with any event, logistics are a key element to plan. Simple things like ensuring the exhibition location has near-by parking, accommodation and travel links are vital to success. With an exhibition, you’ll also need to consider:

•  The setting up and dismantling of stalls
•  Arrival and departure times of Exhibitors
•  Where you need equipment and when
• Organizing lanyards and hand-outs
• Organizing networking events
• Overall time management
• Pre and post-production (setting up and dismantling of displays)

Co-ordinate a team to focus and manage each of the processes in detail – managing all of these aspects acutely will ensure a seamless operation.

Staff & Hospitality

Allow some of your budget for general hospitality and logistics staff to be available throughout the event. Eastant communication and events possesses an international pool of experts who are able to provide a variety of services, and therefore our business radiates all over the world. We work with a strong proactive attitude all the while without compromising our top-tier quality. If you have any event requirement, you are the most welcome to contact us whenver you need ! We are your best event partner to ease your hands !